r 

E 

- ^3q 2. 



REPRINT OF REPORTS 



OF 



HLLEI FOKGE PARK COMMISSION 



FOR THE YEARS 1894, 1896, 190(). 



BY PRESENT COMMISSION 

DECEMBER, 1906. 



HARRISBURG, PA.: 

HARRISBURG PUBLISHING CO., STATE PRINTER, 

1907. 




Class t--2.'^ ^- 

Book ^ '^'f *^ 



Digitized by the Internet Archive 
in 2010 with funding from 
The Library of Congress 



http://www.archive.org/details/reprintofreportsOOpenn 



REPRINT OF REPORTS 



OF 



fALLET FORGE PiKK COMMISSION 



FOR THE YEARS 1894, 18%, 1900. 



BY PRESENT COMMISSION 

DECEMBER, 1906. 



COMMISSIONERS: 

John W. Woodside, President, 

Room 352 Bullitt Building, Phila., Pa. 
W H. Saven, Vice President and Treas., 

1414 South Penn Square, Phila., Pa. 
Samuel S. Hartranft, Norristown, Pa. 
J. P. Hale Jenkins, Norristown, Pa. 
M. G. Brumbaugh, Phila., Pa. 
John P. Nicholson, Phila., Pa. 
W. A. Patton, Radnor, Pa. 
John W. Jordan, Phila., Pa. 
Richmond L. Jones, Reading, Pa. 
A H. Bowen, Secretary, 

112 South 2nd Street, Phila., Pa. 



HARRISBURG, PA.: 

HARRISBURG PUBLISHING CO., STATE PRINTBIl. 
1906. 






:\g)@/^l 












(3) 



REPORT 



■^ 







SION, 



1894. 



FRANCIS M. BROOKE, President, 
Chamber of Commerce, Philadelphia. 



FREDERICK D. STONE, Secretary, 
1300 Locust Street, Philadelphia, 






h^s^ 



(4) 



REPORT 



OF THE 



VALLEY FORGE COMMISSION, 1894, 



Philadelphia, December 6, 1894. 
Hon. Kobert E. Pattison, Governor of Pennsylvania: 

Dear Sir. — The Commissioners of Valley Forge, appointed Jnne 
S, 1893, under the x-lct of May 30th of that year, which provides ''for 
the acquisition by the State of certain ground at Valley Forge for a 
public park and making an appropriation therefor," beg leave to 
report 

That having been severally duly qualified, according to law, they 
met for organization in the city of Philadelphia, June 17, 1893, and 
organized by the election of Francis M. Brooke as President and 
Frederick D. Stone as Secretary. Subsequently they appointed 
William C. Hannis, Esq., General Counsel; Messrs. Henry Freedley 
and Edward F. Kane, Associate Counsel for Montgomery County, 
William 'M. Hayes, Esq., Associate Counsel for Chester county, and 
L. M. Honpt, Engineer, and on the first Monday of June, 1894, they 
re-organized as required by the re-election of the President and Sec- 
retary above named. 

In order that the Commission could have full knowledge of the lo- 
cation and surroundings of the entrenchments and redoubts they 
had their engineer make a careful topographical survey of all the 
ground between the Schuylkill river, the Valley Creek and a line 
extending from the former to the latter along the Washington Lane, 
showing ten feet contours, with property lines, owners, names, &c. 
With the aid of this map, after repeated visits to Valley Forge, the 
Commission decided upon the boundaries of the Park, a description 
of the courses and distances of which will be found in Appendix 
A. of this report. The boundaries of the Park as finally fixed, to- 
gether with the property lines of the several owners of land taken 
by the Commission, will be found upon the annexed map which is 
made a part of this report. 

(5) 



6 

The liues were located so as to comply with the requirements of 
the Act, and also to aiiord access to the fortifications and the coun- 
try they cover. 

Having -served formal notice upon the several owners of the lands 
lakeii. the Commission "endeavored to negotiate and agree with the 
owners as to the price thereof," as provided by the Act, hut failed 
to do so because the prices asked were in excess of the values that 
were fixed by those who, in the opinion of the Commissioners, were 
competent to estimate their values. Except in the case of the tract 
owni'd by Edwin Moore, which was purchased at eighty dollars per 
acre, and the purchase having been approved by the court, title was 
taken for the State. 

The Commission then proceeded to ascertain the values of the 
other lands, by jurors duly appointed for the purpose, in accordance 
with the further provision of the Act. Tliey fixed them at the prices 
given in the table marked "A])pendix B." which, to make the state- 
ment of all the lands taken by the Commission complete, includes 
the tract purchased of Edwin Moore. 

The total number of acres taken amounts to 217.582 acres. The 
aggregate cost, .|29,57S and the average per acre, |135.94. 

While the awards are in excess of the values fixed by the wit- 
nesses for the State, they average much less than half those asked 
by the land owners and testified to by their witnesses before the 
jurors. 

All the land owners have accepted their awards except Robinson 
et al. in Chester county and Bridget and Bernard McMenamin and 
E. B. English in Montgomery county, who have each appealed there- 
from. 

Of the appropriation of |25,00n for the purchase of said lands and 
the n(H_'(^ssary expenses incident thereto, there has been received 
from th(' State Treasurer on warrants of the Auditor General |4,650, 
of which there has been paid out |2,492.1G, leaving a cash balance 
on hand of |2,1.^7.84, which, together with the |20,350 yet undrawn, 
amounts to f22,507.84. From this must be deducted about .|2,:300 to 
]);iy unsettled claims against the Commission, which will leave a 
balance of .f2(»,2(l7.84. which will be used, so far as it will go, in full 
Itaymcnt of the awai'ds made by (he juries and confiruu'd by the 
courts i.i ordei- of their acce])tance' by the land owners. This 
will 1( a\f' a deficicni-y of i|!),H70.1f), (o meet which and to ])ay inci- 
dent;il exiiciiscs and inlcrcst on (he awards uuiil paid an a]»i)ro])]ia- 
!ion of .1^1(1,000 is needed. 

As tlic ;icl |)rovidcs t1i:ii (he hinds taken are ''to be laid out, pre- 
served ;nid niainlaim-d foicvcr its a i)nl)lic jihice or park by the name 
of \^illcy Forge, so Ihal Ihc snrne and (ho fortifications thereon 
may be ni;iin(;iined as ncnrlv as ]»ossil)le in their original condition 



as a military camp," and further that the Commissiouers "shall 
adopt plans for the improvement, preservation and maintenance 
thereof,'' the Commission recommend the taking of the land yet un- 
taken, as shown on the map, lying between the Valley Creek, the 
Washington Lane and the Heading Railroad, except the property 
known as Washington's Headquarters and now owned by the "Cen- 
tennial and Memorial Association of Valley Forge," as excepted in 
the Act creating the Commission, which untakeu ground comprises 
about two hundred and fifty acres. And also sufficient to make a 
broad avenue or drive way along the whole outer line, which ex- 
tended from near the Valley Creek, a few hundred yards south of 
the '^'^'ashington redoubt, in a southeasterly direction to the Schuyl- 
kill river near Port Kennedy; along which line nine of the fourteen 
brigades that v\-ere at A^alley Forge were encamped, including troops 
from Pennsylvania, Virginia, Massachusetts, New^ York, New Hamp- 
shire and Vermont. The making of an avenue so located would 
effectually mark the outer line and al&o afford an opportunity for 
the Colonial States to permanently mark the camps of their several 
troops. The estimated cost of these lands is fifty thousand dollars. 

The Act requires that the fortifications and their surroundings 
should be maintaMied as nearly as possible in .their original condi- 
tion as a military camp, and the Commission would at present rec- 
ommend the making of such roads and paths as would make the en- 
trenchments and redoubts accessible, maintaining both them and 
the roads now within the boundaries in proper condition. The es- 
timated cost of which is ten thousand dollars. 

In conclusion the Commission firmly believe that with the bound- 
aries enlarged as above suggested, there will be neither difficulty 
or delay in securing t°he interest and effective attention of the States 
and of the Nation through their several constituted authorities, 
to this historic spot. That the Colonial States will permanently 
mark with appropriate memorials the camps 'Of their several bri- 
gades, and the Nation will erect on the summit of Mount Joy which 
is within the inner or second line of entrenchments, a high, rugged, 
battlemented tower, surmounted with a colossal bronze figure of a 
private soldier of the Revolutionary Army. Such a tower will afford 
an opportunity to see the whole camp ground and its surroundings 
and at the same time, be a land mark, visible in every direction for 
many miles. 

Very respectfully yours, 

FRANCIS M. BROOKE. 

President. 
FREDERICK D. STONE, 

Secretary, 



APPENDIX A. 



The Park is situated priucipaliy in Upper Merion Township, Mont- 
gomery county, and partly in TredyiTrin township, Chester county. 
The lines are as follows: 

Beginning at a point at the North-east corner of land of the Cen- 
tennial and Memorial Association of Valley Forge (known as Wash- 
ington's Headquarters) and a corner of lands of the estate of Nathan 
Jones, deceased, and at a distance of 264.18 feet from the centre line 
of the Philada. & Eeading Railroad, and at right angles thereto, 
thence along the line of the said association N. 76 deg. 30 min. 35 sec. 
W. — 1S.2 feet to a point, corner of land belonging to Lottie H. Rex, 
thence hy land of said Rex, N. 13 deg. 29 min. 25 sec. E — 125 feet to 
another corner of the same, thence N. 44 deg. 00 min. 30 sec. W. — 50 
feet to a point in the middle of a road leading to Valley Forge Sta- 
tion, and a corner of property now belonging to th(^ Philada. & Read 
ing Railroad Company, thence along the line of the said company's 
land north, 1 deg. 51 min. 15 sec. west, 65 feet more or less to a point 
on the southerly line of the right of way of the said Railroad Com- 
pany, being 33 feet distant at sub-grade from the centre line thereof, 
thence along the southerly side of the said right of way of the said 
i-ailroad, parallel with the centre line of said railroad and 33 feet 
distant at sub-grade therefrom, for a distance of 2449.66 feet to a 
point at its intersection with the westerly line of land belonging 
to Susanna M. Johnson and at the distance of 47.13 feet at sub-grade 
from tlie centre line of said railroad, measured along the said west- 
ern iine. thence along the line of land belonging to the said Johnson 
S. 19 deg. 14 min. 20 sec. W. — 39!).47 feet to a point, thence still by 
tlie same, S. 29 deg. 12 min. 00 sec. E.— 196.52 feet io a point, thence 
still by the same, H. 19 deg. 14 min. 20 sec. AV.— 300 fe<'t to a poini 
ill tlie middle of the Poft Kennedy Road, thence along the middle 
of the said i-oad S. S2 deg. 09 min. 00 sec. E.— 1070.84 feet to a ])oint 
al ifs intersection with llie centre line of AVashington Lane and in 
I he line of land of Wm. '^T. Ktephens, thence along the centre line 
<,r sail! bme and l)y the siiid Stephens land S. 9 d<>g. 55 min. 00 sec. 
\\\__7(:() iVcl to a point, a corner of land of Chnrles J. Johnson, 
I hence along (he line of said Johnson's land and land of Piidget i\Ic- 
Ab'iianiin S. 56 deg. 5!) min. 50 se(-. W. — 1794.0:) feet to a point in (lie 
(cnire of (lie Ciilf Road, a corner of lamd of I5ridget McMenamin 
and 1). K. Kennedy thence along the Cam]) Ivoad by land of the said 
Kennedy, the following courses and dislnnces, to wit: S. 8 deg. 23 
mill. 43 sec. W.— 335.2 feet, S. 30 deg. 18 min. 00 sec. E.— 755.98 feet 



9 

and S. 18 deg. 39 min. 25 sec. E. — 439.8 feet to a stone, a corner of 
said Kennedy and of John Sweeney, thence along the land of said 
Sweeney the following courses and distances to wit: S. 18 deg. 39 
min. 25 sec. E. — 110.5 feet, S. 27 deg. 54 min. 15 sec. E.— 215.2 feet, 
S. 11 deg. 48 min. 50 sec. E.— 338.8 feet, S. 4 deg. 26 min. 25 sec. E.— 
350.45 feet and S. 1 deg. 50 min. 00 sec. E.— 144.0 feet to a point in 
the centre of the said Washington Lane a corner of said Sweeney's 
land and in line of land belonging to Cyrus N. Davis, thence by the 
same and by land of Robert T. Robinson and along the said Wash- 
ington Lane crossing the line dividing the County of Montgomery 
from the County of Chester, S. 47 deg. 03 min. 30 sec. W.— 358.32 
feet to a point, a corner of land of said Robinson, thence by the said 
Robinson's land and still along the said Lane, S. 31 deg. 59 min. 05 
sec. W^ — 99.6 feet' to a point, a corner of said Robinson's land, 
thence by the same and by land of Mary W. Jones, S. 71 deg. 27 min. 
19 sec. W.— 2299.35 feet to a point in the Valley Creek, North of the 
road bridge across the same and in the line of lands of said Jones 
and Jane T. McNeely and others, thence down the said Creek and 
by land of said Jane T. McNeely and others, N. 10 deg. 25 min. 45 
sec. E. — 125.74 feet to a point in the line of land estate 'Of J. B. Car- 
ter, and on the line dividing the county of Chester from the county 
of Montgomery, thence along the same, and by lands of said Car- 
ter's estate, N. 71 deg. 27 min. 10 sec. E. — 32.0 feet to a point in the 
middle of the Valley Creek road, a corner of land of said Carter's 
estate, thence by the same and following the same road, the fol- 
lowing courses and distances, to wit: N. 4 deg. 53-min. 40 sec. W. — 
344.3 feet, N. 8 deg. 35 min. 25 sec. E.— 1306.7 feet, N. 17 deg. 05 min. 
30 sec. E. 363.17 feet, N. 32 deg. 53 min. 05 sec. E.— 256.21 feet and 
N. 12 deg. 35 min. 20 sec. E. — 254.96 feet to a corner of the same, 
thence leaving the road and still by the same lands S. 81 deg. 13 
min. 30 sec. E. — 254.73 feet to a corner, thence still by the same N. 
8 deg. 46 min. 30 sec. E. — 1827.3 feet to a point in the middle of the 
aforesaid Gulf Road and a corner of land of Sarah A. Shaw, thence 
by the same, N. 39 deg. 39 min. 10 sec. E. — 1510.3 feet to a white 
oak standing in the centre of the aforesaid Port Kennedy Road, 
and a corner of lands of said Shaw and aforesaid estate of Nathan 
Jones, deceased, thence by the land 'of said Jones' estate, N. 11 deg. 
56 min. 20 sec. W. — 294.15 feet to a point, a coriier of the said es- 
tate, thence by the same, S. 78 deg. 03 min. 40 sec. W^ — 1896.5 feet te 
the place of beginning. Containing 217.582 acres. 



10 



APPENDIX B. 



Report of the Montgomery County Jury on. Lands taken hy the 
State at Valley Forge^ made Ootoher i^, ISOJf,. 



Name. Area. 

Est. Nathen Jones, 14.68S A. 

Harriet J. Mewes, (Lane) 

Martha J. Bean 420-1(100 A 

Phila. & Reading. 913-1000 A. 

Susanna M. Johnson, 1.2,S2S A. 

Sarah A. Shaw 30.6(575 A. 

P. & W. Bauchmiller (Tenants) 

Pawling & Johnson, 2S,4.M6 A. 

Pawling & Johnson, 2 A. 112 P. 

Pawling & Johnson, 4 A. 34 P. 

Bridget McMenamin • 3 A. 22 P. 

Bernard McMenamin 7.3591 A. 

James Robinson 5 A. 64 P. 

J. B. Carter S6.6O07 A. 

Samuel F. Jarrett 2 A. 119 P. 

E. B. English 2 A. 36 P. 

Matthias Walker 9 A. 118 P. 

Mahlon Ambler 4 A. 142 P. 

John M. Weyherill 2 A. 77 P. 

Est. J. Vogdes,, dec'd 3.1973 A. 

Purchased by agreement: 

Edwin Moore 1.3525 A. 

Total. Montgomery County 211.069 A. 



Awards. 


Per Acre. 


$2128.00 


$170 30 


371.00 




975. CO 


:''320 00 


No. Award 




• 524 no 


408.48 


4190. 


15G.19 


600.00 




3330.00 


130.84 


357.00 


132.22 


3fO.0O 


92.60 


1485.00 


473.31 


857.(0 


116.45 


687.011 


127.22 


9486.00 


109.51 


290.00 


105. S6 


295.00 


132.58 


12.90. OO' 


132.48 


475.0 J 


97.19 


263.00 


106.00 


.180.00 


150.13 



$28,578.00 



80.00 



$135.01 



Report of the Chester County Jury^ made March ^7, 189 J^.. 



No. Name. Area. 

1, James Robinson, et al 3.1170 A. 

2, Mary C. Jones 2.7900 A . 

Total, Chester County 5.9130 A. 

Total 217. 5S2 A. 



Awards. Per Acre. 

.$100.0(1 $128.32 

000. 00 279.60 

.$1000.00 $109.12 



$29578.00 $135.94 



11 



VALLEY FORGE COMMISSION, 

CREATED BY ACT, MAY 30, 1893, 

To acquire, maintain, and preserve forever 

The Revolutionary CAMP GROUND at Valley Forge, 

(or the free enjoyment of the people of the State. 



COMMISSIONE'^S. 

FRANCIS M. BROOKE, President, 

IS and 19 Chamber of Commerce, Philadelphia. 
JOEL J. BAILEY, Philadelphia. 
JOHN CADWALADER, Philadelphia. 
CHARLES C. HARRISON, Philadelphia. 
SAMUEL HARTRANFT, Fort Washington. 
DANIEL "W. HOWARD, West Chester. 
HENRY A. MUHLENBERG. Reading. 
I. HESTON TOOD, Port Kennedy. 
WILLIAM WAYNE. Paoli. 
FREDERICK D. STONE. Secretary. 

ISOO Locust Street, Philadelphia. 




(la) 



REPORT 



ULLEHORCE CfIMM 



IT J 



1896, 



FRANCIS M. BROOKE, President, 
403-405 Bourse Building, Philadelphia. 

HOLSTEIN DE HAVEN, Secretary, 
617 Walnut Street, Philadelphia. 




(14) 



REPORT 



VALLEY FORGE COMMISSION, 1896, 



Philadelphia, December 17, 1896. 
Hon. Daniel H. Hastings, Governor, Harrisburg, Pa.: 

Dear Sir: The Valley Forge Commission respectfully begs leave 
to make this their second Biennial Report : 

The act of May 30, 1893, appropriated |25,000, or so much thereof 
as might be necessary, for the "acquisition by the State of certain 
grounds at Valley Forge for a public park" and the -necessary ex- 
penses incident thereto; and that the supplement of July 3d, 1895, 
to the above act appropriated |10,000 to pay the purchase money 
for the' lands already taken by the State, and also authorized the 
Commissioners to accept for the State "gifts of money or land and 
to permit the United States of America or any of the States thereof 
to erect monuments or other memorials on the grounds acquired for 
said Park." 

Under the above act and supplement thereto, the Commission, 
as shown by their report of December 6, 1894, have prosecuted their 
work to the extent to which they had available funds. During 1895 
and 1896 they attended to the trials of the appeals taken, and have 
paid all the awards, except in the cases of E. B. English and of 
the estate of Jacob Vodges, deceased. E. B. English took an appeal 
which has not yet been tried. He claims a greater amount of land 
than that stated in the proceedings to condemn, and also a greater 
price than that awarded him by the arbitrators, to wit, the sum of 
|295. 

The heirs of the estate of Jacob Vodges, deceased, were awarded 
.|480, and all of them with a single exception — an one-eighth interest 
— agreed to donate to the State their respective shares, the Com- 
mission undertaking to pay the fees of their counsel for his services 
rendered in this behalf. 

A deed was drawn accordingly, reciting the gift which has been 
executed by the Pennsylvania heirs and is now^ in transit to the 
others — who reside in Kentucky, Illinois, Missouri and California— 
for the same purpose. 

(15) 



16 

The increase of the verdicts over the awards and the expenses of 
said trials have nearly exhausted the appropriation. 

Annexed are consolidated accounts of the receipts and disburse- 
ments of the Commission to date, full detailed accounts for which 
have been rendered from time to time to the Auditor General with 
the proper vouchers duly audited and certified, showing a balance 
as stated now on hand of |136.72. which balance is deposted in the 
Bank of North America where all the funds of the Commission have 
been kept. No items of personal expenses of any Commissioner 
incident to the work have been paid from the State funds, though in 
some instances these items have not been inconsiderable. 

The watchman has been attentive to his duties, and his services 
have been effective; he has been paid in full to February 17, 1896, as 
the appropriation of 1893 has been exhausted, and that of 1895 is not 
available for this purpose. Until a further appropriation is made 
he must wait for his wages, which are but |3.00 per week, and which 
he has agreed to do. Unless such an arrangement was made, the 
grounds would necessarily be left unwatched and unprotected. 

In order that the corners and lines of the lands owned by the 
State should be well marked and defined, the Commission had pro- 
vided before the date of their first report the necessary number of 
corner and line stones to be at conveniently visible distances along 
the line, and for this purpose 35 corner and 40 line stones were 
necessary. It was afterwards decided to postpone the setting of 
the stones until after all the lands were acquired. The stones are 
now stored on the lands adjacent to those of the State. 

At the last session of the Legislature no appropriation of moneys 
was made to this Commission, except such as were required to meet 
obligations at that time incurred, and for this reason no substantial 
progress has been made during the last two years. This cessation 
of the work undertaken by the Sfate and approved by the people of 
the whole country as an indication that Pennsylvania recognizes the 
obligation imposed upon her by the possession of such historic 
grounds as those of Valley Forge and Gettysburg, is much to be re- 
gretted. The organization throughout the United States every 
where of Colonial and Revolutionary Societies is an evidence that 
the people are taking a dee]) interest in the scenes of those eventful 
peroids. Philadelphia is expending the moneys required to restore 
Independf'iice Hall; ConnecMcut has appointed a commission and 
acquired the lands where Genei'al l^itnam and his command wer(^ 
encamped during the winfer of 1778-70 for the Putnam Memorial 
Camp; and Phode Island has already made an appi'opriation for the 
erection of ;i monuuKnt to mjiik tlie grave of Lieutenant John 
Waternmn, an officer of that State, who is buried at Valley Forge 
within the lines of the encampment. Unfortunately their com- 



1'5' 

mission has not yet been able to secure the land where this grave is 
situated, and in the attempt of the State of Khode Island to nego- 
tiate with the owner, it has encountered diiiiculty and inconvenience. 
The outcome of which it is believed will be alike to the credit of 
Rhode Island, Pennsylvania and Valley Forge. The example of 
Khode Island will no doubt be followed by other states anxious to 
commemorate the services of their soldiers on a field so famous as 
Valley Forge. It is of the greatest importance that the whole of 
the ground included within the encampment should be acquired by 
the State so that some general plan may be devised, just alike to 
all, the truth of history be maintained, and the marking of the lo- 
calities be not left to the chance of disconnected efforts. 

The eifect of renewed general interest in this historic camp, fol- 
lowed by eilorts upon the part of states and perhaps individuals to 
secure possession of portions of the grounds, must be to enhance 
the value of them, and this fiirnislies another reason v^'hy Pennsyl- 
vania would be wise to act now and not await the uncertainties of 
the future. 

Valley Forge is one of the very few camps where some of the en- 
trenchments thrown up by the soldiers of the Eevolution have been 
preserved substantially as they were originally. Each year, how- 
ever, brings a largely increased number of interested visitors, and it 
has become the custom not only of patriotic but social and other 
organizations to make pilgrimages to Valley Forge. The Commis- 
sion is unable to make roads for want of means, and therefore these 
people wear paths and walks over the entrenchments themselves. 
With the best of motives they work an irreparable injury. 

It is hoped that in memory of the deeds of Wayne and Mifflin and 
Muhlenberg, and the many brave men who followed them, and for 
the credit of our State, which is charged with a duty because of her 
great achievements in the past, requires that this Commission be 
supplied with the necessary funds. We therefore repeat the recom- 
mendation contained in our last report, as follov/s: 

''The taking of the land yet untaken, as shown on the map, lying 
between the Valley Creek, the Washington Lane and the Reading 
railroad, except the property known as Washington's Headquar- 
ters and now owned by the "Centennial Association of Valley 
Forge," as excepted in the act creating the Commission, which un- 
taken ground comprises about two hundred and fifty acres. And 
also sufficient to make a broad avenue or driveway along the whole 
outer line, which extended from near the Valley Creek, a few hun- 
dred yards south of the Washington redoubt, in a southeasterly 
direction to the Schuylkill river near Port Kennedy; along which 
line nine of the fourteen brigades that w^ere at Valley Forge were 

2 



IS 

encamped, indiiding troops from Pennsylvania, Virginia, Massa- 
chusetts, Xew York, Xew Jersey, New Hampshire and Vermont. 
The making- of an avenue so located would effectually mark the outer 
line and also afford an opportunity for the Colonial States to per- 
manently mark the camps of their several troops. The estimated 
cost of these lands is fifty thousand dollars.'' 

(They would also recommend the acquiring of such Redoubts, 
Picket Posts, Burial Places, &c., within the lines of historic interest 
as may be desirable to preserve.) 

''The act requires that the fortificati-on and their surroundings 
should be maintained as nearly as possible in their original condi- 
tion as a military camp, and the Commission would at present 
recommend the making of such roads and paths as would make the 
entrenchments and redoubts accessible, maintaining both them and 
the roads now within the boundaries in proper condition. The esti- 
mated cost of which is ten thousand dollars, and the Commission 
firmly believe that, with the boundaries enlarged as above sug- 
gested, there will be neither difficulty or delay in securing the in- 
terest and effective attention of the States and of the Nation 
through their several constituted authorities, to this historic spot. 
That the Colonial vStates will permanently mark with appropriate 
memorials the camps of their several brigades, and the Nation will 
erect on the summit of Mount Joy, which is within the inner or 
second line of entrenchments, a high, gugged, battlemented tower, 
surmounted with a colossal bronze figure of a private soldier of 
the Eevolutionary Army. Such a tower will afford an opportunity 
to see the whole camp ground and its surroundings, and at the same 
time be a land mark, visible in every direction for many miles." 

For further information, a map of all that portion of the Cam]) 
comprised between the Schuylkill river, the Valley Creek and the 
Washington Lane is annexed, Avhich shows the redoubts, entrench- 
ments, topography, property lines, &c., and on which has been 
mark( d the boundaiies of the land acipiired by the State. 

Also a copy oC the u^^al) of the "Encampment at Valley Forge, 
i77>^." \\]\]\ ("xplanatoi-y note. 

All of wliicli is respectfully siil)nii(1cd, 

FKANtUS M. PKOOKK, 

I^resident. 
TTOLSTFIN DellAVKN, 

Secretary. 



19 



Statements of Receipts and Disbursements on Account of Valley 
Forge Appropriations. ' 



APPROPRIATION MAY 30, 1S33. 



To engineering- account, 
To real estate account. 

To incidentals, 

To leg'al expense, 

To professional services, 



|7i36 20' 


20,197 3S 


SOS 53 


1,329 39 


2,408 50 



$25,000 



By appropriation. 



$25,000 00 



$25,000 00 



APPROPRIATION JULY 



To real estate account, 

To legal expense, 

To cash on hand in Bank of 
North America, 



$9,724 05 
139 23 



136 



$10,000 00 



By appropriation. 



$10', OOO 00 



$10,000 oo 



Itemized accounts duly certified have been filed in the Auditor General's office for the above 
statements with the proper vouchers showing when, to w'hom, and for what account respect- 
ively paid. 

Philadelphia, December 17, 1S96. 



VALLEY FDRGE COMMISSION. 

CREATED BY ACT MAY 30, 1893. 

To .acquire, maintain and preserve forever 

The Revolutionary CAMP GROUND at A^alley Forge, 

for the free enjoyment of the people of the State. 



COiVl^/iiSSIONERS. 

FRANCIS M. BROOKE, President, 
403 Bourse Building, Philadelphia. 

WILLIAM J.- LATTA, Philadelphia, 

WILLIAM WAYNE, Paoli. 

LEA^I G. McCAULEY, West Chester, 

HENRY A. MUHLENBERG, Reading. 

SAMUEL W. PENNYPACKER, Philadelphia. 

TA.TNALL PAULDING, Philadelphia. 

JOEL J. BAILEY, Philadelphia! 

SAMUEL S. HARTRANFT, Norristown. 

HOLSTEIN DE HAVEN, Secretary. 
617 Walnut St., Philadelphia. 



(20) 



REPORT 



VALLEY FORGE COMMISSION, 1900, 



December 22, 1900. 
To His Excellency, William A. Stone, Governor of Pennsylvania: 

Sir: Tlie Valley Forge Commission respectfully submit herewith 
their fourth biennial report. 

Since the date of their last report the Commission has sustained 
a loss not easily repaired, in the death of Francis M. Brooke, Presi- 
dent of the Commission from the time of its organization until 
November, 1899. A man untiring in his efforts, and giving to the 
work of the Commission a large part of his time and energy, though 
in failing health, and even overtaxing his bodily strength in obe- 
dience to the dictates of Patriotism. 

The present members of the Commission appointed or reappointed 
during the early months of your administration met October 14, 
1899, and effected a temporary organization by the election of John 
W. Woodside as President and Charles C. Adams as Secretary. 
In June of 1900 these officers were made permanent, and Edward 
A. Price was elected as Treasurer, and the following appointments 
were made: Hampton L. Carson, Esq., as General Counsel, W. F. 
Solly as Associate Counsel for Montgomery county, and John J. 
Pinkerton, as Associate Counsel for Chester county. 

In entering upon the active discharge of their duties your present 
Commissioners found an empty treasury, and unpaid bills awaiting 
payment to the amount of |3,500. Several meetings have been held 
to verify the claims of creditors. Frequent journeys to Valley 
Forge and to other places have been made for the purpose of form- 
ing an intelligent judgment, as to the needs of the future, all of 
which journeys have been undertaken at the personal expense for 
traveling of the Commissioners, and careful estimates have been 
made of the amount of a State appropriation needed to enable them 
to prosecute their work. After paying debts already incurred, and 
to provide means for the care and maintenance of the grounds for 
the next ten years, we submit an estimate as follows: 

(21) 



22 

First. For the payment of debts aiieadj^ incurred, |1,700 

Second. For the completion of purchases upon the con- 
demnation proceedings of land already taken by the 
State and the necessary expenses attendant thereto, 2,500 

Third. For the laying out of new roads and paths within 
and along said Park, so as to make the same accessible 
to the public, and in the maintenance of such roads as 
now exist, 7,500 

Fourth. For the watching, care, preservation and main- 
tenance of the redoubts, embankments and land al- 
ready taken, and yet to be purchased or taken by the 
State for the purpose of said Park, 1,000 

Fifth. For incidental and necessary expenses of said 

Commission in their performance of their official duties, 500 

Sixth. For the purchase or condemnation of lands, in ad- 
diiion to land already taken contiguous to the present 
Park not to exceed 300 acres and to cost not over . . . 60,000 



Total, 173,200 

There can be but little question of the propriety of the first five 
items. The State already owns the land, and the debts incurred in 
their purchase and maintenance not only should be but must be paid. 
The ground must be taken care of and improved to such an extent 
at least as will enable the public to enjoy the opportunities of view- 
ing the forts and other e^ntrenchments so well preserved from the 
ravages of time, although nearly a century and a quarter have 
passed. 

We entertain a reasonable confidence in the belief that the peo- 
ple of Pennsylvania will heartily approve of the expenditure by the 
State of the sum of .|60,000 for acquiring the lands mentioned so 
necessary to comi>lete the accomplishment of the patriotic plan em- 
bodied in the legislation authorizing the establishment of your 
Commission, and it may not be unreasonable to entertain the ex- 
pectation that, within a few years, the Legislature, fully impressed 
with the importance of acquiring all the lands enclosed within the 
limits of the Valley Forge encampment, where thousands of our 
patriotic sires siiffercd duiing the winter of 1777 and 1778, Avill au- 
thoi-ize tlic ac(|uisition by the State of these lands, which will es- 
l;il)lisli wilhin oui- borders the most interesting as well as historical 
})iii'l( hcl(iiioii|o (o our Tievoliilionary epoch wiiliin Mie boi-ders of 
our l{c|tiililic. 

JOHN W. WOODS IDE, 

President. 
C. C. ADAMS, 

Secretary. 



LIBRARY OF CONGRESS 



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